This invention relates to an auxiliary fuel metering and transfer control system for an internal combustion engine.
Since their initial development in the late 17th Century and the early 18th Century, internal combustion engines have become a major means by which man amplifies his capability to do work. Internal combustion engines are used for almost every conceivable task requiring a prime mover, ranging from generation of electric power to moving people, goods and materials. Probably the most important application of the internal combustion engine in the United States is the use of gasoline engines as prime movers for automotive vehicles, such as passenger cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, airplanes, motorboats and earthmovers.
It is well known that the gasoline which is consumed in gasoline engines consists essentially of volatile flammable liquid hydrocarbons which are derived from crude petroleum. It is also well known that the United States is heavily dependent on the supplier nations of the Middle Eastern Region for crude petroleum. In recent years, the supplier nations have taken advantage of this dependency to obtain substantial increases in the prices for crude petroleum sold to the United States. Furthermore, the political stability of many of the supplier nations is uncertain, and therefore, it is not known whether crude petroleum will be available in the future from several of the supplier nations at any price. For these reasons, it is desirable for the United States to reduce its dependency on the supplier nations for crude petroleum. If the United States is to substantially reduce its dependency on the supplier nations, it must either locate and develop new sources of crude petroleum or reduce its consumption of crude petroleum, or both. It is generally believed that reducing consumption of crude petroleum is the more promising of the two alternatives for the United States in the near future. And, of course, reducing consumption of crude petroleum is an important long-range objective for the United States.
Because of the widespread use of gasoline engines in the United States, it is possible for the United States to achieve substantial reductions in its total consumption of crude petroleum by reducing the total amount of gasoline consumed by gasoline engines. Various means, including means for burning fuels other than gasoline in gasoline engines, have been proposed for reducing the total amount of gasoline consumed by gasoline engines. Some of the proposed means include fuel system modifications which enable substitute liquid or gaseous fuels to be burned in gasoline engines. Other of the proposed means include fuel system modifications which enable both gasoline and an auxiliary liquid or gaseous fuel to be burned in gasoline engines.
Various liquid or gaseous fuels, including alcohol, methane, propane and natural gas, have been proposed as either substitute fuels or auxiliary fuels, or both, for burning in gasoline engines. These fuels are available from various sources in the United States. Equipment for modifying the fuel system of gasoline engines to enable such engines to burn either propane or natural gas as a substitute fuel is commercially available. The equipment which is commercially available has proved to be satisfactory for its intended purpose. Some of the equipment which is commercially available is "duel-fuel" equipment. Such equipment provides a means whereby the operator of an automotive vehicle having the equipment installed can switch from gasoline to propane or natural gas or from propane or natural gas to gasoline for burning in the gasoline engine of the vehicle.
Whether of the single fuel or dual-fuel type, the equipment which is commercially available merely provides a means for substituting propane or natural gas for gasoline. Under certain operating conditions, either propane or natural gas burns more efficiently than gasoline in gasoline engines. Under other operating conditions, gasoline burns more efficiently than either propane or natural gas in gasoline engines. Accordingly, it is desirable to have means for burning both gasoline and propane or natural gas at the appropriate times and under the appropriate conditions in a gasoline engine such that the combustion efficiency of both the gasoline and the propane or natural gas is increased.
The present invention provides a system which enables a gasoline engine to burn both gasoline and a gaseous auxiliary fuel, such as propane, methane, natural gas or a similar gaseous fuel. The principle object of the present invention is to provide a system which substantially reduces the total gasoline consumption of a gasoline engine using the system while causing that engine to consume only small quantities of the gaseous auxiliary fuel. To achieve that objective, the gaseous auxiliary fuel is injected directly into the Venturi of a conventional carburetor at appropriate times and under appropriate conditions during operation of the gasoline engine. Thus, combustion efficiency is increased for both the gasoline and the gaseous auxiliary fuel.
A further object of the present invention is to improve the acceleration and other performance characteristics of a gasoline engine using the system of the present invention. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system which reduces the total amounts of unburned hydrocarbons and other harmful pollutants emitted from a gasoline engine using the system.
Yet another object of the present invention is to reduce the total amounts of sludge and other deposits on the interior surfaces of a gasoline engine using the system. Reduction of such deposits reduces wear on the interior surfaces of the engine, and thereby, increases the useful life of the engine while reducing maintenance expenses for the engine during that useful life.
Still another object of the present invention is to increase the load capacity and horsepower output of a gasoline engine using the system. Yet another object of the present invention is to increase the range of an automotive vehicle powered by a gasoline engine using the system and the operating time of a stationary gasoline engine using the system.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system which can be used with a gasoline engine without major modifications to that engine. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system which can be installed in a conventional automotive vehicle without reducing the capacity of that vehicle to carry people, goods or materials. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system which can be installed for use with a gasoline engine by persons having minimal training and experience relating to gasoline engines.
The auxiliary fuel metering and transfer control system of the present invention is comprised of a pressure vessel for storage of gaseous fuel, a conventional pressure regulator, a pressure gauge, a solenoid valve, an auxiliary fuel metering and transfer control assembly, an auxiliary fuel nozzle and interconnecting gaseous fuel lines. Electric energy necessary for operation of the solenoid valve is obtained from a conventional source, such as the battery of an automotive vehicle. A magnetic reset safety switch and a protective fuse are included in the electrical circuit. The auxiliary fuel metering and transfer control assembly is comprised of a metering valve and a transfer valve. The metering valve is operatively responsive to changes in both the intake manifold vacuum for the gasoline engine using the system and the air velocity in the throat of the carburetor of that gasoline engine. The transfer valve is operatively connected to the throttle linkage on that carburetor.
In accordance with the recited objects of the present invention, the components which are disclosed are for a system which is suitable for use with gasoline engines. Nevertheless, the auxiliary fuel metering and transfer system of the present invention can be used with other internal combustion engines, including diesel engines, if appropriate component modifications are made.
These and many other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following brief description of drawings, description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.